The Old Ways

Lyrics

Verse 1
We rose before the smoke
With ash on our skin
One shield at my shoulder
One oath in my fist
The field held its breath
As the river ran red
We learned young and hard
How to walk with the dead

Pre-Chorus
Stand close
Hold fast
If I fall
You last

Chorus
The old ways
Still burn
The old ways
We turn
Brother by brother
We stand in the flame
Brother by brother
We carry the name

Verse 2
My spear found its mark
My knees found the stone
I heard my own heart
Like a drum in my bones
They came like a tide
Like a blade in the rain
We did not bend once
We did not say names

Pre-Chorus
Stand close
Hold fast
If I fall
You last

Chorus
The old ways
Still burn
The old ways
We turn
Brother by brother
We stand in the flame
Brother by brother
We carry the name

Bridge
When the night takes the best
And the strong go silent
We feed the fire
With a harder defiance
If this is the end
Then let it be bright
We die in the line
We die upright

Final Chorus
The old ways
Still burn
The old ways
We turn
Brother by brother
We stand in the flame
Brother by brother
We carry the name
The old ways
Remain
The old ways
Through pain
Brother by brother
Our blood on the plain
Brother by brother
We never break name